SOMERSET, NJ - Catalent Inc . (NYSE:CTLT), a key player in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, saw its shares surge approximately 12% today after announcing first-quarter financial results that surpassed analysts' expectations, despite a year-over-year decline in revenue.
The New Jersey-based company reported a net revenue of $982 million for the quarter, which was above the consensus estimate by $42.4 million but marked a roughly 4% decrease from the same period last year. This drop reflects a continuing trend, as the company has faced an average top-line contraction of about 14% over the past three quarters due to reduced COVID-era production demand.
Catalent played a pivotal role during the pandemic, providing crucial filling and packaging services for Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA)'s COVID-19 vaccines. As the surge in demand related to the pandemic wanes, CEO Alessandro Maselli has highlighted the company's efforts to return to pre-COVID operational levels.
Despite the overall decline in revenue, Catalent's non-COVID-related sales actually saw an increase of approximately 5% year-over-year. The biologics segment contributed $447 million to the top line but experienced an organic revenue drop of around 16% compared to last year, which is notably less severe than the approximately 37% year-over-year decline observed in Q4 FY23.
The company also reported adjusted EBITDA of $115 million for the quarter, which was down nearly 38% from last year but still exceeded forecasts sourced from Bloomberg by about $15.7 million. The reported net loss of $715 million was primarily due to $700 million in non-cash goodwill impairment charges, which have also delayed the filing of Catalent's 10-Q report.
Earlier today, Catalent's stock witnessed an impressive pre-market rise of nearly 5%, propelled by these quarterly results that exceeded market expectations. However, it's important to note that Catalent is managing significant financial leverage with substantial debt amounting to $4.95 billion and a high net leverage ratio of 7.4x.
Looking ahead to Fiscal Year 2024, Catalent has set a net revenue target range between $4.3 billion and $4.5 billion and anticipates an adjusted net income between $113 million and $175 million. This guidance reflects the company's strategic direction amidst shifting market conditions post-pandemic.
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